Marcus Stroman is seemingly the odd man out of the New York Yankees rotation. That is not something he is willing to accept.
Stroman ended his two-day absence by reporting to spring training on Friday. In doing so, he may have replaced one headache for another for the Yankees. Bryan Hoch from MLB.com reported that Stroman stated, “I’m a starter. I won’t pitch in the bullpen. I’m a starter.”
Stroman made certain that he got his point across when speaking to reporters. Greg Joyce of the New York Post reported that Stroman said he was a starter 11 times in his 10 minutes with the media.
While Stroman has typically been used as a starter in the past, he does not appear to have a spot in the Yankees rotation. Gerrit Cole and newcomer Max Fried are set as the top two starters for the Yankees. Carlos Rodon is a solid middle-of-the-rotation arm. Youngsters Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt showed promise in 2024, with Gil being named the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year.
Stroman, meanwhile, struggled in his first year in pinstripes, cooling off after a strong start to the season. He posted a 4.31 ERA and a 1.468 WHiP in his 154.2 innings, striking out 113 batters with 60 walks. Stroman briefly lost his spot in the rotation, earning a save in his only relief appearance of the year.
The Yankees had attempted to move on from Stroman during the offseason. He was frequently named in trade rumors, which he addressed as well, saying, “Nothing can really faze me.” Stroman is ready to pitch, but he has made it clear that he will only accept a spot in the rotation.
Stroman has reported to the New York Yankees. In doing so, the Yankees may have swapped one headache for another.
